I’ve just launched a brand new section on the website called the “ActiveHistory Mysteries“. I have been trialling these with my own students this term and they have proven to be a big hit! If you try them out with your own students, and / or you have any ideas for other “mysteries” I could develop, please contact me.

he “History Mysteries” lessons are designed as stand-alone projects which each last 3-4 hours. Through engaging historical topics, they teach skills of research, groupwork, structured writing. There is a standard teacher lesson plan and student record sheet / markscheme for each activity.

The popular Year 7 / 8 History Game, “Build you own Medieval Castle”, now has a leaderboard which displays the class scores “live” on the whiteboard as the game progresses for added interest.

A new and improved version of the Jigsaw-Table exercise.

Now improved with hyperlinks to keywords and an on-screen record of the conversation.

This Worst Jobs in History simulation can be used as a stand-alone lesson, homework assignment or as part of a broader unit on “Was life Good or Bad during this particular period?”. The worksheet has basic activities for a 30 minute lesson, and extension tasks that could be followed up later.

A Telescopic Topic created using Classtools.net.